Emergency umbrella or parasol



July 28, 1925. i

S. C. VINCENT EMERGENCY UMBRELLA OR PARASOL Filed June 17. 1924 sidneyflvincent.

Patented July 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES SIDNEY C. VINCENT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

EMERGENCY UMBRELLA OR- PARASOL.

Application filed June 17, 1924.. Serial No. 720,580.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY C. VINCENT, citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Emergency Umbrellas or Parasols, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to umbrellas or parasols, and more particularly to that class intended for temporary or emergency uses.

It is desirable that umbrellas of the kind be of cheap construction so as to warrant their purchase for the temporary uses for which they are intended, but at the same time it is highly desirable that the structure be comparatively rigid and be capable of smoothly opening and closing and be maintained in a comparatively rigid state when open. Therefore the objects of this invention are to provide an umbrella that will be cheap to manufacture, comparatively rigid and durable, and one which may be readily and conveniently opened and closed and maintained in proper position with regard to the ribs and canopy when the umbrella is raised, and one which will embody in its construction such material as will be admirably adapted as a sun shade at all times, and well adapted for shedding rain for a considerable time.

In the drawings illustrating the invention Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the umbrella, the ribs being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central sectional view of the umbrella, part of the canopy being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a flexible central member to which the ribs are attached.

Fig. 4 is a detail cross section takenon the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a flexible ring for attachment to the ribs near the center of the umbrella.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the canopy or cover. This is preferably made of oiledpaper or other inexpensive material treated to render it impervious to water. The numeral 2 desig nates the rod, to the upper end of which is attached a disk 3, preferably of wood, the attachment being by means of a screw 4. The numeral 5 designates another disk. also preferably of wood, and interposed between the disks 3 and 5 is a spider 6, preferably of leather, the central portion of the spider being of about the same diameter as the disk 3. The spider is provided with radiat ing tabs 7, one for each rib. The ribs are designated by the numeral 8.

are preferably made of wood, thin and ob These ribs long in cross section and preferably are about as wide as the tabs 7 of the spider. These tabs lie flat upon the upper sides of the ribs and are attached to the ribs preferably by glue or cement. They may, however, be attached by other means.

It will be seen that by attaching the tabs to the ribs, there is provided a series of flexible portions adjacent the outer periph cry of the disk 3, whichare in effect a series of hinges upon which the ribs move from closed to open position.

The central portion of the canopy is carried up over the disk 3 and the slack or surplus material is folded or wrinkled upon itself, and in order to present a neat and finished appearance, I provide a cap 9 which envelopes the central portion of the canopy and fits snugly around the disk 3. This cap is attached tothe circular block or disk preferably by brads 10. and this mode ofattachment of the cap alsosecures the central rumpled portion of the canopy to the disk 3, as well shown in Fig. 2.

Preferably the disk 5 is a little smaller in diameter than the disk 3 so as to form a bearing for the inner ends 11 of the ribs both when the, umbrella is closed and when it is open. Furthermore, the disk 5 serves the purpose of limiting the inward movement of the ribs.

The numeral 12 designates two similar rings of fabric glued one above the ribs between the outer ends of the tabs 7 and the canopy, and the .other below the ribs and preferably directlybeneath the upper ring. These rings as stated, are substantially identical and completely encircle the central portion of the canopy, and serve; to keep the tabs of the spider, and consequently the ribs to which they are attached properly spaced in radial relation at the center of the umbrella. a

The ribs are glued to the underside of the canopy for substantially their entire length, and this means may be augmented by a number of strips 13 pasted to the bottom of the ribs and to the canopy, at de sired intervals. In Fig. 4, a designates the cement film that unites the canopy and the ribs.

The numeral 14 designates the Spreader. This is formed with a tapered finger engaging portion 15, and an annular flange 16. The spreader is slidable upon the rod 2 and its upper outer edge is adapted when the spreader is in the position shown in Fig. 2 to simultaneously engage the undersides of the inner ends of all of the ribs to hold them in the position shown in said figure, and the spreader is held in its high position by the usual spring 17 secured at its lower end to the rod, and adapted to be received when it is desired to fold the umbrella, in

the usual recess 18.

Preferably the inner ends of the ribs are slightly bevelled, as shown, to permit them to more smoothly fold and to prevent in their movement any lateral strain upon the spider tabs where they join the central por tion of the spider body.

It will be seen that the screw 4 which serves to attach the disk 3 to the rod, also serves to attach the block or disk 5, and the arrangement is such that the central portion of the spider is firmly clamped between the two disks.

From the foregoing it will be noted that there is devised an exceedingly cheap, and yet a comparatively durable structure with the proper safeguards against flimsines s.

It will be observed that the ribs being oblong or fiat in cross section. they furnish a much greater surface for the glue or cement attachment with the tabs of the spider, and furthermore, when the spreader simultaneously engagesall of the flat un-dersides of the ribs they are prevented from turnmg or twisting which is an important feature in constructions of this character.

The sense in which the term disk is used throughout the specification and in the claims is in its broad sense, and it is not my idea to confine it to simply acircular member which would probably be, strictly speaking, a true disk, because obviously a block not truly circular, but octagonal or hexagonal or with any conveniently made or formed periphery would answer the purpose.

Claims.

1. An umbrella of the character described, comprising a canopy, a plurality of ribs-secured to the canopy, a central disk having secured theretoa flexible member with its edges extended beyond the disk and secured to the ribs whereby a hinge connection is established between the central disk and the ribs, a rod secured to the central disk, a spreader slidable on said rod and adapted when in high position to maintain the ribs in extended position, and means for holding the spreader in raised position.

2. An umbrella of the character described, comprising a canopy, a plurality of ribs secured to the canopy, a central disk having secured thereto a flexible member with its edges extended beyond the disk and secured to the ribs whereby a. hinge connection is established between the central disk and the ribs, a rod secured to the central disk, means for limiting the inward movement of the ribs, a spreader slidable on said rod and adapted when in high position to maintain the ribs in extended position, and means for holding the spreader in raised position.

3. An umbrella comprising a canopy, ribs secured to the canopy, a central disk, a rod secured to the'disk. a second disk below the first, a spider of flexible material interposed between the disks and secured therebetween, the outer marginal edges of the spider extending beyond the disk and secured to the inner ends of the ribs whereby a hinge connection between the ribs and the spider is effected, the lower disk serving as a means for limiting the inward movementof the ribs, a spreader slidable on the rod and adapted for simultaneous engagement with all of the ribs when the spreader is in high position, and means for holding the spreader in such position,

4. An umbrella comprising a rod, a disk aspreader adapted when in raised position.

to simultaneously engage all of the ribs to hold them when in extended position, and means for holding the spreader in high position.

5. An umb' ella comprising a rod having two disks secured to the upper end thereof, a, member of flexible material between the disks and secured thereto, said member having a portion extending beyond the disks, ribs secured to said extended portion, the lower disk serving to limit the inward movement of the ribs, a canopy secured to the ribs with its central portion overlying the upper disk, a cap enveloping the central portion of the canopy and the upper disk, a ring of flexible material secured to the inner ends of the ribs whereby said ribs aremaintained in properly spaced radial position. a spreader slidable on the rod and adapted to engage simultaneously all of the ribs when in raised position, for the purpose set forth, and means for holding the spreader in high position. i

6. An umbrella of the character described, comprising a canopy, aplurality of fiat ribs lib") secured to the canopy, a central rigid memon said rod and adapted when in high posiber having secured thereto a flexible memtion to engage the under flat sides of the her with its edges extended beyond the cenribs to maintain them when in extended tral member and secured to the ribs whereposition.

5 by a hinge connection is established between In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

the central member and the ribs, a rod seg, cured to the central member, and a spreader SIDNEY C. VINCENT. 

